Sinn Féin - On Your Side

Speaking on
Sinn Féin’s Private Members’ Motion on Housing, Imelda
Munster TD criticised the lack of action from the government over the past
seven years in solving the ongoing housing emergency.

During the motion in the Dáil this week, Deputy
Munster also criticised Fianna Fáil for voting against Sinn Féin’s motion,
which outlined measures that would have delivered nearly 15,000
genuinely affordable homes over two years.

Deputy Munster said:

“Fine Gael have been in power for seven years, and they have
thus far point blank refused to roll out a state-wide, properly funded social
housing building programme.

“We have a crisis in the private rental sector. There aren’t
enough properties for rent, and those that exist are prohibitively expensive
for most people.

“These issues are further compounded by the fact that there
is no evidence that this government has made any effort to realistically put
forward an affordable housing programme that will make it possible for people
on low wages to purchase their own home.

“In Louth the average asking price for a house has increased
by 11.5% in the past year, the highest increase in the state outside of Dublin.
Rents in Louth increased by a staggering 16.7% in 2017.

“Their bedfellows in government, Fianna Fáil, chose this week
to vote against our motion. Fianna Fáil has claimed that it wants to see affordable housing delivered,
yet when the opportunity comes to put pressure on the government to provide
better, more sustainable housing solutions, they baulk.

“They voted
against committing to the immediate introduction of ambitious, affordable
rental and purchase housing schemes led by Local Authorities, and where
appropriate, Approved Housing Bodies and Housing Co-operatives.

“They voted
against amending Part V of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, to provide
for 10% affordable housing in addition to the existing 10% social housing
requirement.

“This is why
we have a housing crisis in this country, and this is why it isn’t being
solved. Lack of political will from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael is the root cause
of the crisis. They ought to be ashamed of themselves.”